According to Sky Sports, Liverpool have made their first official signing of the summer.
The player they are reported to have signed is 16-year-old Spaniard Miquel Roque. He has been playing in the Spanish Segunda Division this season for Lleida – he made his way into the Catalan side’s first team after starting the season in their second youth team.
Rafa Benitez and Paco Ayesteran are known to be keeping a close eye on the Spanish game, and the youngster was given a trial at Melwood towards the end of the season.
Scouts from both Barcelona and Real Madrid had been looking at young Miquel, but Liverpool have got there first.
Roque is delighted at the move, and relieved that it wasn’t a joke despite his early fears: ""When my representative told me I thought it was a joke. When they tell you scouts from Barca or Madrid have come it’s more normal and within reason, but when it’s Liverpool, it’s hard to imagine."
Rafa Benitez is overhauling the squad at every level, and it may be some time before this new signing makes his full debut. He’s glad for the chance to prove himself: "It’s a great opportunity for me. Everyone who likes football dreams about something like this and I can’t let the chance pass.
" His team-mates thought he was joking when he first let them know what was happening: "When I told them they did not believe me, they thought I was having a joke and I had to tell them four or five times before they took me seriously."
Liverpool’s reserver players train at Melwood with the first team, a situation that would not often be seen in Spain – Miquel likes this: "The experience was good because the first-team players there are close to reserves and there is constant contact between them. What’s more they use them because there are many competitions to play."
No doubt the youngster saw the magnificent scenes around Liverpool on Thursday night, and is looking forward to being amongst those supporters: "Living in Liverpool will not be like living in Lleida, but I am ready for it."